Latin America: Mexico, the Caribbean, South America
Chicano/Latino Studies
Spanish History, and Culture/Spanish and Latin American Literature
Spanish and Portuguese Language Cinema (for films by Latin American film makers or set in Latin America)
Ethnography & Folk Culture
- Alonso's Dream
- Alonso lives in the Highland of Chenalho, where his community is filled with conflict due to the standoff between the Zapatista National Liberation Army that is demanding equal rights for the indigenous people of Mexico, and the Mexican Army. The film focuses on the impact the revolution and paramilitary violence have had on the daily lives of Mayan peasants in Chiapas, Chenalho and Acteal, Mexico. Directed by Daniele Lacourse, Yvan Patry. 2000. 71 min. Video/C 7897
- Americas.
- The people of South and Central America and the Caribbean reflect on their lives, their history and societies in this series. This look at contemporary Latin America examines issues confronting the entire region by focusing on individual communities. 60 min. ea.
The Garden of Forking Paths [Argentina] Video/C 2808
Capital Sins [Brazil] Video/C 2809
Continent on the Move [Mexico] Video/C 2810
Mirrors of the Heart [Bolivia, Haiti, the Dominican Republic] Video/C 2811
In Women's Hands [Chile] Video/C 2812
Miracles Are Not Enough [Brazil, Nicaragua] Video/C 2813
Builders of Images [Puerto Rico, Brazil, Nicaragua] Video/C 2814
Get Up, Stand Up [Colombia, Jamaica, Panama] Video/C 2815
Fire in the Mind [El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua] Video/C 2816
The Americans: Latin American and Caribbean Presence in the U.S. [Southern California, Miami, New York City] Video/C 2817
- The Americas Before the Europeans, 300-1500
- This tape examines the early civilizations in Central and South America, primarily the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas. It describes the art, architecture, and intellectual achievements of these people as well as their downfall to the Spanish Conquistadors. 1984. 26 min. Video/C 6402
- The Americas in the Revolutionary Era.
- Lectures by Marshall C. Eakin. 120 min. each tape.
Lecture 5. From Lexington and Concord to Yorktown -- Lecture 6. Radicalism of the American Revolution -- Lecture 7. Slave rebellion in St. Dominigue -- Lecture 8. Haitian Revolution. From Lexington and Concord to Yorktown: Covers the fighting during the American Revolution from Lexington and Concord to the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781, an extraordinary story of a small group of colonials challenging and defeating the most powerful empire in the world. Radicalism of the American Revolution: Discusses the "meaning" of the American Revolution. For some, it was a conservative effort by planters to sieze power and control the development of a society already divided between slaves and free men, white and non-whites, and the landed and landless. For others, it represented a radical break with a monarchical past and a move towards a republic and democratic politics. Slave rebellion in St. Dominigue: The Haitain revolution is the only successful slave rebellion in the Americas. This section and the next analyze the only case of slaves rising up, taking power, and creating an independent nation. Also looks at the French revolution and its influence on Saint Domingue, a classic example of the sugar and slave plantation complex in the Americas. Haitian Revolution: In 1791, thousands of slaves rose up in St. Domingue, in a war for their freedom. Amidst the violence, a group of black leaders emerged, the most famous the former slave Toussaint L'Ouverture. Over more than a decade the slaves defeated invading armies from France, England, and Spain, but the black leadership eventually turned against itself in a struggle for control of the revolution. Video/C MM284
Lecture 9. Seeds of the rebellion in Spanish America -- Lecture 10. Napoleon invades Spain and Portugal -- Lecture 11. Francisco de Miranda: the precursor -- Lecture 12: Simon Bolivar: the liberator. Seeds of the rebellion in Spanish America: Looks at a series of wars for independence in Spanish America. By 1750, the Spanish Empire in the Americas had been in place for two and a half centuries. In the mid-18th century, the Bourbon dynasty embarked on a series of reforms to revitalize the Spanish Empire which became the source of grievances by the Creoles and their motivation to break with Spain. Napoleon invades Spain and Portugal: The Napoleonic wars and in particular Napoleon's invasion of Spain, triggered a series of mostly failed wars for independence in Spanish America after 1808. The defeat of Napoleon and the return of Fernando VII in 1814 created another flashpoint that set off a second series of wars in Spanish America that were largely successful. Francisco de Miranda, the precursor: Looks at the dramatic life of Francisco de Miranda whose life and work foreshadowed the generation of revolutonary leaders in Latin America who would lead the wars for independence. He became the early mentor of the most famous of these liberators -- Simon Bolivar. Simon Boliver, the liberator: This segment looks closely at the life of the revolutionary figure, Simon Bolivar, from his birth in Venezuela in 1783 to his first forays into politics and war in 1810. Once in power, Bolivar was never able to provide the stability needed by the new republics. He eventually returned to Europe, committing his life to the liberation of his fellow Americans. Video/C MM285
Lecture 13. Liberating Northern South America. -- Lecture 14. San Martin and Argentine independence. -- Lecture 15. Bernardo O'Higgins and Chile. -- Lecture 16. Liberting Peru. Liberating Northern South America: With the imprisonment and eventual death of Miranda, Simon Boliver assumed the mantle of the leader of the South American independence movement. The liberation of Venezuela and the rest of northern South America, including Colombia, and Ecuador, proved to be a bloody and drawn out struggle that would last more than a decade. San Martin and Argentine independence: Jose de San Martin is the counterpart of Simon Bolivar in southern South America. This segment focuses on the process of independence in Argentina and Uruguay and the figure of San Martin and his leadership of the armies that liberated southern South America. Bernardo O'Higgins and Chile: Looks at the military hero Bernardo O'Higgins and his emergence as a leader in Chile after 1810. Follows the virtual civil war in Chile as Creoles vied for control and Spaniards attempted to crush the moves toward independence. Concludes with O'Higgins flight to Argentina, his relationship with Jose de San Martin, and the heroic march of their combined forces through the Andes to liberate Chile from the Spanish. Liberating Peru: The liberation of Peru, the great Spanish stronghold in South America, commencing in 1822 came from two directions: led by Simon Bolivar from the North and Jose de San Martin from the South. Bolivar led the final assult liberating Peru and upper Peru (Bolivia) with the assistance of his lieutenant, Jose Antonio de Sucre. Video/C MM286
Lecture 17. Mexico: race and class warfare. -- Lecture 18. Mexico: empire and chaos -- Lecture 19. Brazil: a royal revolution? -- Lecture 20. Failed movements in the Caribbean.
Mexico: race and class warfare: The war for Mexican independence took place in two stages. This segments looks at the first stage, a race and class war in 1810. Two priests, Miguel Hidalgo and Jose Maria Morelos, led an uprising of poor people, largely Indians, and threatened to annihilate the upper-class whites, who closed ranks to defeat the insurgency and restore order. Mexico, empire and chaos: Events in Europe sparked the second war for independence in Mexico when the supporters of a liberal constitution triumphed in Spain in 1820. A so-called "conservative compromise" avoided bloodshed and brokered Mexican independence when the Spanish general, Agustin de Iturbide, came over to the side of independence in 1821. Crowned Emperor Agustin I, he was quickly deposed and Mexico slid into a half century of political chaos. Brazil: a royal revolution?: Escaping the Napoleonic Wars, the Braganza royal family of Portugal settled in Rio de Janeiro and ruled its vast empire from Brazil. King Joao VI elevated Brazil to the status of a kingdom, diffusing most desires for separation and independence. When Joao returned to Portugal in 1821, the crown prince Pedro, remained in Brazil, assumed the leadership of the movement to separate from Portugal, and declared Brazil's independence in 1822. Failed movements in the Caribbean: Some of the American colonies did not achieve independence in the age of revolutions. This segment looks at Cuba and Puerto Rico, two colonies in Spanish America that failed to achieve their independence. Also examines the troubled case of the Dominican Republic, a nation that had to fight several times, first against Spain and then Haiti, to achieve its independence. Video/C MM287
Lecture 21. The British West Indies and Canada -- Lecture 22. The strange case of Paraguay -- Lecture 23. Revolutions made and unmade -- Lecture 24. Aftermath of independence.
British West Indies and Canada: Canada and the British possessions in the West Indies did not seek independence. Both regions experienced a gradual transition to independence that presents a fascinating comparison to both the British North America and Latin American experience. Strange case of Paraguay: When the first set of wars for independence broke out in the La Plata region in 1808, a strong man, Jose Gaspar de Francia, emerged as the authoritarian leader of independence and the new nation. Unlike the rest of Latin America, in the aftermath of independence, Paraguay turned inward and isolated itself from the outside world until the mid-19th century. Revolutions made and unmade: This segment looks at the "big picture," of the age of revolutions and the general processes across all of the Americas, comparing all the revolutions. In particular, focuses on how the differing colonial traditions (political, economic and cultural) shaped the revolutionary paths and the outcomes of the wars for independence. Aftermath of independence: Examines the larger vision of the Americas in the aftermath of the wars for independence, beginning with the key concepts of revolution and emphasizing the complex nature of the different wars for independence, as well as their common patterns. Concludes with a summary of the legacies of the wars and revolutions, in particular comparing the United States in roughly 1850 with Latin America. Video/C MM287
- Autocracy and Rebellion in Mesoamerica (Mesoamerican Cultural Code)
- Interviews with: Enrique Arrieta, Tomie S. Montgomery, Sonia Cansino, Miguel Huezo (Farabundo Marti Front), Roberto Canas (Farabundo Marti Front), Colonel Carlos Herrarte (Salvadorean Armed Forces). Documentary film with dramatized segments describing the political behavior of Mesoamericans through a historical and cultural analysis of the cultural traits of autocracy and rebellion. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1996. 42 min. Video/C 4676
- Bravo, Bread, & Circuses
- Shows the importance of big stars and their fans in South America. Each star represents a facet of the South American character: A Colombian bullfighter embodies the "lordly Spaniard," while a black world champion boxer and the people of his village symbolize rebellion or the "Guerrilla." 1987? 60 min. Video/C MM716
- The Buried Mirror: Reflections on Spain and the New World.
- Written and presented by Carlos Fuentes. A reflection on the Old and New Worlds, the diverse cultures of Spanish speaking countries, and the themes, institutions, and symbols that have endured through time. 60 min ea. 1991. Video/C 2392: 1-5
- Carlos Fuentes.
- From the series, World of Ideas with Bill Moyers. Fuentes and Moyers discuss the relationship of the United States with Mexico and with Latin America generally. Fuentes addresses the selective intervention of the U.S. in the affairs of Latin American countries which he believes stifles development in Latin America and damages the international relationship. 1989. 28 min. Video/C 1577
Carlos Fuentes: The United States and Latin America: Center for Latin American Studies Lecture Series, UC Berkeley, September 29, 1988. [ONLINE AUDIORECORDING]- Berkeley Language Center-- Speech Archive SA 1673-1/2
- Part I:
Listen to it (Requires Real Player)- Part II:
Listen to it (Requires Real Player) - Part I:
- Columbus and the Age of Discovery.
- This 7-nation co-production chronciles Columbus's extraordinary journey and legacy. The series commemorating the quincentennial, this history relives Columbus's daring and dangerous voyages and their momentous repercussions - for both the New World and the Old. Dist.: Films Media Group. 991. 58 min. ea. Video/C 2240 - 2245
- Goodman, Walter. "Columbus and the Age of Discovery." (television program reviews) (Living Arts Pages) reviews) New York Times v141 (Fri, Oct 4, 1991):B1(N), C30(L), col 1, 16 col in
Leonard, John. "Columbus and the Age of Discovery." (television program reviews) New York v24, n39 (Oct 7, 1991):86.
Rabinowitz, Dorothy. "Columbus and the Age of Discovery." (television program reviews) Wall Street Journal (Mon, Oct 7, 1991):A14(W), A12(E), col 1, 22 col in.
Stahel, Thomas H. "Columbus and the Age of Discovery." (television program reviews) America v165, n20 (Dec 21, 1991):488.
Waters, Harry F. "Columbus and the Age of Discovery." (television program reviews) Newsweek v118, n15 (1991):73 (2 pages).
- El Corazon Sangrante (The Bleeding Heart)
- Several Mexican, Cuban, and Chicano visual artists and two performing artists are interviewed, and their work is discussed with particular reference to the image of the bleeding heart, which has been a significant symbol throughout centuries of Latin American culture. In Spanish and English, with subtitles in the opposite language. c1991. 45 min. Video/C 6411
- Death Squadrons: The French School.
- The story of the involvement of the French military in Operation Condor, established in 1975 by the autocratic governments of South America. This supranational criminal organization's mission was the extermination of political opponents both in their own countries and abroad. Presents a cautionary note about what happens when governments and the military are convinced that enemies are everywhere, and that any means necessary can be employed to fight them. 2003. 60 min. Video/C MM341
- Father Roy: Inside the School of Assassins.
- Describes the protests of Father Roy to the military assistance and training that the United States provides to Latin American countries at the U.S. Army School of the Americas. All too often the graduates of the school have used their training in attacks against their own people. Human rights advocates such as Father Roy Bourgeois have worked to see the school closed. Dist.: Richter Productions. 1997. 55 min. Video/C 5397
- Frontierland
- As this film demonstrates, mestizaje (Mestizo culture) is not so much a racial category as a state of mind, and it can be found even where nationalists and exoticists from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border might least expect it: Not just in California and the Southwest but also in Mexico City, South Carolina, Vancouver and even in the homes of European collectors of pre-Columbian art. A film by Jesse Lerner y Ruben Ortiz-Torres. c1995. 77 min. Video/C 9207
- The Great Civilizations of South and Central America
- Presents a brief overview of the history of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca nations, civilizations of South and Central America that thrived thousands of years before European settlers arrived. 14 min. Video/C 6401
- The Gringo in Mananaland: A Musical.
- This film is a look at United States media representations of Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. It postulates that since the turn of the century, popular media in the United States has promoted a stereotyped image of Latin America in order to justify the concept of U.S. dominance in the hemisphere. Includes a montage of U.S. produced films about Latin America, from silent films through 1995 television news, including corporate videos. Produced by DeeDee Halleck. 1995. 61 min. Video/C 4348
- Hidden in Plain Sight
- Feature-length documentary that looks at the nature of U.S. policy in Latin America through the prism of the School of the Americas, the controversial military school that trains Latin American soldiers in the U.S. The film presents different points of view on the School, U.S. policy, and American involvement in Latin America. Includes interviews with a variety of scholars, legislators, military personnel and activists as well as victims of the violence and repression in Latin America. Written and directed by John H. Smihula. c2003. 71 min. DVD 2020
- Hour of the Furnaces (La hora de los hornos)
- Directors, Fernando Ezequiel Solanas, Octavio Getino. 1. Historia -- 2. El pais -- 3. La violencia cotidian -- 4. La ciudad puerto -- 5. La oligarquia -- 6. El sistema -- 7. La violencia politica -- 8. El neoracismo -- 9. La dependencia -- 10. La violencia cultural -- 11. Los modelos -- 12. La guerra ideologica -- 13. La opcion. A documentary on the liberation struggle being waged throughout Latin America, using Argentina as a historical model. Originally produced in 1966-1968. VHS format (PAL). In Spanish without subtitles. 90 min. Video/C MM517
- Latido Latino: Senas de Identidad
- Discusses the influence of Latin American culture in the United States through interviews with more than 50 Latin American immigrants living in New York, including musicians, dancers, artists, and writers. Those interviewed share their personal and professional experiences of being of Latino descent in America. Dist.: Films Media Group. c2000. 120 min. Video/C 8045
- Noam Chomsky: A Hemisphere of Our Own: U.S. Foreign Policy in Central America: Talk at UC Berkeley, May 14, 1984 [ONLINE AUDIORECORDING]
- Berkeley Language Center-- Speech Archive SA 1521-1
1. Program (67:28)
(Requires RealAudio player)
2. Program and Questions (58:19) (Requires RealAudio player)
- Religion in Mesoamerica (Mesoamerican Cultural Code)
- Contents: Pre-hispanic religion -- Conquest and colony -- Independence -- Religious syncretism -- The Cofradia -- Liberation theology. Interviews with: Pedro Portillo (artist), Diego Ignacio (Mayan priest), Jon Sobrino (theologian), Carlos Lara (anthropologist), Arturo Rivera (Archbishop, San Salvador). Interviews with: Pedro Portillo (artist), Diego Ignacio (Mayan priest), Jon Sobrino (theologian), Carlos Lara (anthropologist), Arturo Rivera (Archbishop, San Salvador). Dist. Cinema Guild. 1996. 55 min. Video/C 4677
- Ruins: A Fake Documentary
- Counterfeiting is a practice with broad implications, from the merest of fake objects to entire histories shaped as facsimile. Here filmmaker Lerner collates early colonial misconceptions of the Mexican populace, a jumble of ethnographic and political distortions. From there he charts the process that recontextualizes archeological objects as art. At the center of the film is master forger Brigido Lara, whose pre-columbian objects have been exhibited in major museums throughout the U.S. and Europe. A film by Jesse Lerner. 1999. 78 min. Video/C 9205
- [Salgado, Sebastiao] The Spectre of Hope
- Noted Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado and art critic John Berger pore over Salgado's photographic collection "Migrations," six years and 43 countries in the making (ranging across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America). "Migrations" contains photographs of people pushed from their homes and traditions to cities and their margins -- slums and refugee camps. Here their intimate conversation, intercut wiht photographs from "Migrations," combines a discussion of Salgado's work with their critique of globalization, creating a wide-ranging investigation of the power of the image. 2000. 52 min. Video/C 8738
- [Salgado, Sebastiao] Migrations, Humanity in Transition by Sebastiao Salgado: Followed by a Conversation with Orville Schell
- Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado comments on his photographic collection "Migrations: photographs by Sebastiao Salgado," which range across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Salgado sees evidence of what he calls "a revolution in the way we live, produce, communicate and travel," often summarized by the catchword "globalization." His presentation is followed by a conversation with the author Orville Schell who continues the discussion on Salgado's work and visions of the social ramifications of globalization. "Produced in conjunction with the exhibition of Migrations: Photographs by Sebastiao Salgado at the University of California Berkeley Art Museum and the Pacific Film Archive, January 16-March 24, 2002." Held on February 11, 2002 at the University of California, Berkeley. 85 min. Video/C 8758
- [Salgado, Sebastiao] Migrations, Humanity in Transition by Sebastiao Salgado: Follow-up Discussion to the Avenali Lecture
- A panel discussion of the work and issues presented by the Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado in his ethnographic photographic collection "Migrations: photographs by Sebastiao Salgado," which presents a commentary on human migration and the social ramifications of globalization. "Produced in conjunction with the exhibition of Migrations: Photographs by Sebastiao Salgado at the University of California Berkeley Art Museum and the Pacific Film Archive, January 16-March 24, 2002." Held on February 13, 2002 at the University of California, Berkeley. 120 min. Video/C 8759
- [Salgado, Sebastiao] Sebastiao Salgado
- Presents a conversation with Sebastiao Salgado, an Uruguayan Paris-based photojournalist who has documented the lives of Latin American peasants, diamond mine workers in Brazil and famine in Africa. He is accompanied in this discussion with UCB professor Ken Light and photo critic and curator, Fred Ritchin. Recorded by Educational Technology Services, University of California, Berkeley on October 27, 2004. 93 min. Video/C MM406
View it with RealPlayer - School of the Americas: School of Assassins
- Describes the military assistance and training that the United States provides to Latin American countries at the U.S. Army School of the Americas. All too often the graduates of the school have used their training in attacks against their own people. Human rights advocates would like to see the school closed. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1994. 19 min. DVD 4289
- Sexuality in Mesoamerica: Machismo and Marianismo (Mesoamerican Cultural Code)
- A study of the concept of sexuality in Mexico and Central America. Focus is on the cultural archetypes of machismo and marianismo, orientations which have defined social conduct and sexual orientation throughout Latin America. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1996. 33 min. Video/C 4675
- S.O.A.: Guns and Greed
- Presents powerful statements from students, labor leaders, veterans and church people involved in protesting the training of Latin American soldiers at the Fort Benning School of the Americas (SOA). Footage of mass graves and bodies of victims of murders attributed to SOA graduates is included. c2000. 22 min. Video/C 9007
- South America: Continent of Contrasts. (Power of Place: World Regional Geography. 15-16)
- Prog. 15. Andes and Amazon: Ecuador, valley of the volcanoes. A second chance for Amazonia?--Prog. 16. Accelerating growth: Sao Paulo, the outer ring. Chile, Pacific Rim player. A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Ecuador, Valley of the Volcanoes explores the monitoring and prediction of volcanic activity in Ecuador. A Second Chance for Amazonia examines sustainable development for the Amazon rain forest in northeast Brazil's Para State. Sao Paulo, the Outer Ring investigates the plight of urban homesteaders in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Chile, Pacific Rim Player examines the developing commerce and export economy of Santiago, Chile. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4319
Available for online viewing (with Windows Media player)
- Telenovelas: Love, TV and Power
- This program examines the political and cultural impact of the Latin American telenovela--broadcast six days a week to more than 120 countries. Interviews with sociologists, media moguls and others examine its influence on Latin American power politics, along with generous clips from the programs "By These Streets," which closely parallels Venezuelan news events and the popular Brazilian romantic melodrama "Body and Soul." Dist.: Films Media Group. 2001. 59 min. DVD 1965
- Terror and Counter-Terror: Can Democracy Survive? (Terrorism, Aims and Objectives)
- This program looks at the economic, political, and military pressures on a government menaced by terrorism. The government is Peru's and the terrorists are among the most determined, ruthless, and enigmatic of Latin American insurgents, the Sendero Luminoso. The program show how Sendero, which uses both urban terror and rural guerrilla tactics, has brought Peru's shaky democracy to the point of collapse; and as Sendero has gained in strength, democratic values have been jettisoned as the country is caught in a vicious cycle of terror and counter-terror. Dist.: Films Media Group. c1995. 52 min. Video/C 8342
- U.S. Foreign Policy in the Third World, Problems of Human Rights.
- From the series, Conversations. #23: Thomas Farer, distinguished professor of law at Rutgers University and former president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, discusses the work of the Commission in investigating human rights violations in Latin America and analyzes the Reagan administration's policies concerning human rights in third world countries and the factors that influence and change such policies from administration to administration. Interviewed by Harry Kreisler and Albert Fishlow, professor of economics at Yale University. 1983. 60 min. Video/C 641
- Women of Latin America (Mujeres de America Latina)
- Series that looks at Latin America through its women with interviews and on-site visits. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1992. In Spanish.Bolivia, la Coca, Alimento de los Pobres. This program examines the plight of women in the poverty ridden nation of Bolivia on varying social and economic levels. A congresswoman discusses her fight against cocaine production and use; a teacher struggles against government apathy toward education; a peasant woman reveals the harsh details of her existence. Progress made by women in the area of home business, art and music is examined, as well as the antiquated customs that keep women subservient. 72 min. Video/C 8651
Guatemala Silenciada. Probes the stratification of women in Guatemalan society. It examines the submissiveness of upper-class women; a new emerging middle class who are defying tradition and cultural expectations to fight for equal rights; and the indigenous population, who are segregated and discriminated against. It looks at sexual abuse and political terror and includes Guatemalan women refugees in Mexico who discuss the terror that drove them into exile. 72 min. Video/C 8652
Mexico: la Rebelion de las Lloronas. Looks at Mexican women who have fought for women's rights and equality. They are women looking for children kidnapped during political pogroms, journalists, writers and political activists. Machismo and the resulting sexism as well as some aspects of Catholicism are discussed as social factors contributing to the continued subjugation of Mexican women. 60 min. Video/C 8653
Nicaragua, del Rojo al Violeta. Follows the progress of women's rights and the fight for equal employment in Nicaragua. A former Sandinista fighter who lost a foot wants the government to give her a job; a woman displaced from her job by men returning from the war protests; another who's daughter was murdered by the Somozist Guard wants justice. Dozens tell their stories, as Violeta Chamorro defends her coalition government's policies toward women against criticism by feminists, who seek a wider role in political and social decision-making. 60 min. Video/C 8654
Peru, la Colera del Hambre. Examines the efforts of city women in today's Peru, a country scourged by unemployment, political violence and drug trafficking, as they prepare community meals, work at menial jobs to support families, run employment workshops, and provide counseling for abused women, pregnant teenagers and refugees fleeing war in the provinces. It also examines the importance of the coca leaf to the rural Puruvian economy. 60 min. Video/C 8655
- World War II Films: Vol. 3.
- Presents eighteen films, with eleven of them focusing on the participation of Latin American and South American countries in WWII. Ten films are produced by the U.S. Office of Inter-American Affairs, which was created to foster and report on relations between the United States and Latin American countries. Also includes films addressing issues in America such as housing and employment for veterans, the increase in venereal diseases and other health issues. Contents: A ceiling on your home (1945, 11 min.) -- Brazil at war (1943, 10 min.) -- Brazil gets the news (1942, 10 min.) --Despotism (1946, 11 min.) -- Doctor in industry, Pt. 1 (1946, 19 min.) -- Good neighbor family (1943, 17 min.) -- Gracias Amigos (1944, 16 min.) --Homes for veterans, Pt. 1-2 (1946, 28 min.) -- Housing in Chile: one government's plan to provide better homes (1943, 18 min.) -- Lima family (1944, 18 min.) -- Lima (1944, 16 min.) -- Problems of housing (1944, 10 min.) -- Roads South (1943, 17 min.) -- Army nurse (1945, 16 min.) -- Silent war: Colombia's fight against yellow fever (1945, 10 min.) --To the people of the United States (1944, 21 min.) -- Wastage of human resources (1947, 10 min.) -- Young Uruguay (1943, 17 min.) DVD 8712
- To the top
Mexico
- Spanish and Portuguese Language Cinema(for films by Mexican film makers or set in Mexico)
Chicano/Latino Studies (for documentaries on US/Mexico border issues)
- Aguas Sagradas: Exploracion de Cenotes y Rios Subterraneos en el Mundo Maya (Sacred Waters: An Exploration by Subterranean Rivers and Caverns in the Mayan World).
- An exploration by subterranean rivers and caverns; a fantastic and enigmatic trip where natural treasures and the vestiges of the ancient Mayas lie. In this program a group of speleologists dive down to incredible depths through the cenotes that were ritual centers of the ancient inhabitants and also unique sources of water in this dry and arid region, where one of the greatest cultures of ancient times flourished. In Spanish with English subtitles. [1994?]. 60 min. Video/C 5068
- The Ancient Americans.
- Examines the emergence of human culture in Central and South America and illuminates the advanced cultural and technical states achieved by the Maya and Aztec civilizations with special emphasis on the mysterious Olmec culture and the war-filled history of the Aztec Empire. c1998. 33 min. Video/C 6417
- And the March Continues! (Y sigue la marcha andando!)
- A film by Guadalupe Olvera San Miguel. Combines documentary and narrative forms to present a history of the lesbian movement in Mexico from its orgins to the present. Interviews with Mexican lesbians and movement leaders present impressions of daily life in their country. Dist.: Frameline. 1997. 30 min. Video/C 7275
- Animaquiladora: The Animation Sweatshop
- Contents: Dia de la independencia -- L.A. cucaracha -- Signs of the times -- Mysterious apparitions on tortillas -- Latinos on TV -- Why cybraceros. Latino political satire as presented in a collection of short animated films satirizing U.S.-Mexican relations. Films by Lalo Lopez & Alex Rivera. 1997. 10 min. Video/C 9210
- Art and Revolution--Mexico
- Nowhere but in Mexico has history been painted as superbly; nowhere else have outspokenly polemical painters, like Rivera and Siqueiros, produced such great art. The art of revolution and the revolution of art seem, in this time and place, to have nurtured one another. For in Latin America, art and literature are the shared possessions of all social and educational levels. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1982. 51 min. DVD 2192
- The Aztecs. (Ancient Civilizations.)
- Explores the history and culture of the thousand-year-old pre-Columbian Aztec empire, from human sacrifices to their agricultural advances, its influence is still felt today. Commentary by scholars, maps, and contemporary accounts provide an overview of the events that shaped and destroyed the Aztec empire. Dist.: Films Media Group. c1999. 47 min. Video/C 6416
- Borderline Cases: Environmental Matters at the United States-Mexico Border
- A documentary describing the consequences of 25 years of environmental neglect by factories along the U.S./Mexico border focusing on the cities of Brownsville, Matamoros, Tijuana, San Diego, Ciudad Juarez and El Paso. It chronicles the 5 year bi-national effort to craft remedies to the border's deteriorating environmental conditions by a diverse mix of people of both countries from grass-roots activists to government, academic and industrial leaders. Produced, directed and edited by Lynn Corcoran. 1997. 65 min. Video/C 4748
- The Boxer. (Life; 6)
- This film follows Luis Rodriguez, who lives in a remote peasant village in southern Mexico, who hopes to become a boxing champion in the United States. This film follows him as he travels north to the US-Mexican border, joining other migrants determined to outwit the U.S. border guards. Eventually he succeeds in crossing the border and finds work as an illegal alien. Directed by Felix Zurita. c2000. 24 min. Video/C 7766 (for other installments of series, see
Global Issues and Events)
- Canoa: Memoria de un Hecho Vergonzoso.
- Depicts the lynching of five students who had gone camping in San Miguel Canoa in the state of Puebla Mexico, September 16, 1968. 1984. 93 min. Video/C 1376
- Carlos Fuentes.
- Fuentes reads from two of his novels, Christopher Unborn and the Death of Artemio Cruz. Filmed off-air at San Francisco State University on September 3, 1987. 75 min. Video/C 1212
- Carlos Fuentes.
- From the series, World of Ideas with Bill Moyers. Fuentes and Moyers discuss the relationship of the United States with Mexico and with Latin America generally. Fuentes addresses the selective intervention of the U.S. in the affairs of Latin American countries which he believes stifles development in Latin America and damages the international relationship. 1989. 28 min. Video/C 1577
- The Chinampas.
- Describes the Chinampa, a traditional Mexican agricultural system, and traces its long history. Shows modern day threats to this system and discusses measures to save the Chinampa. Produced, directed and written by Anne Prutzman. 1990. 31 min. Video/C MM908
- Ciudades del Mexico Antiguo. Palenque, El Explorador. Monte Alban, Uno Muerte.
- An overview of the Mexican archaeological sites of Palenque and Monte Alban. In Spanish with English subtitles. 1992. 62 min. Video/C 5071
- Ciudades del Mexico Antiguo. Tajin, Reencuentro...Tiempo despues las Piedras Nos Vuelven a Contar su Historia. Teotihuacan, El Caracol Alado.
- An overview of the Mexican archaeological sites of Chichen Itza and Uxmal. In Spanish with English subtitles. 1992. 62 min. Video/C 5069
- Ciudades del Mexico Antiguo. Uxmal, Piedras de lluvia. Chichen Itza, la Palabra del Chilam.
- An overview of the Mexican archaeological sites of Tajin and Teotihuacan. In Spanish with English subtitles. 1992. 62 min. Video/C 5070
- Covering Chiapas.
- Amy Goodman, of New York's WBAI-FM radio, covers the February 1994 emergence of Zapatista rebels in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Dist. Cinema Guild. 29 min. 1994. Video/C 4077
- Cronica de Familia.
- Depicts the life of a fictional middle-class Mexican family, its faith in power and money as the basis of life, without considering how these values affect the lives and behavior of their children: their experimentation with drugs, premarital sex, and crime, occasionally leading to serious consequences and even death. Produccion y direccion de Diego Lopez. 1986. Video/C 999:1734
- Crossing Borders: The Journey of Carlos Fuentes.
- This portrait of Mexico's foremost novelist probes beneath the surface of his work to expose the roots of his fiction and its place in the world of literature. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1989. 58 min. Video/C 2864
- Death on a Friendly Border
- The border that runs between Tijuana and San Diego is the most heavily militarized border between "friendly" countries anywhere in the world. Since the U.S. instituted the "Operation Gatekeeper" policy, an average of one person a day has died crossing the border. This documentary puts a human face on this tragedy, examining the hardships imposed by heat and thirst and abusive border guards. Includes interviews with a border guard, human rights activists and Mexicans who have attempted the crossing. A film by Rachel Antell. 2001. 26 min. Video/C 9261
- Democracia Indigena (Indigenous Democracy)
- A documentary filmed in the municipality of Huehuetla in the Mexican state of Puebla -- the only municipality where Indians have taken power away from non-Indians and have governed themselves for nearly ten years. Directed by Pacho Lane, produced by Gerardo Avila Garcia. 1999. 36 min. Video/C 7463
- The Devil Gave Us Oil (Oil; 5)
- Looks at the plight of heavily indebted Mexico,where the expectation of a continued rise in oil prices encouraged that government to borrow too heavily. 1986. 58 min. Video/C 1724
- Diego Rivera: I Paint What I See.
- Explores the life and work of Diego Rivera, including his stormy 25-year relationship with painter Frida Kahlo and the destruction of his notorious mural in Rockefeller Center; features location filming of his enormous colorful murals. Director, Mary Lance; producers, Mary Lance, Eric Breitbart. Dist.: Direct Cinema. 1990. 58 min. Video/C 1766
CINE Film & Video Awards 1990 (Golden Eagle).
- Dirty Business: Food Exports to the United States.
- Discusses the move of multinational agribusiness to Mexico and the problems they are creating due to environmental pollution and low wages for workers. Director, camera and editor: Jon Silver. 1990. 15 min. Video/C 1823
National Educational Film & Video Festival 1991 (Silver Apple)
- Entrega de Agua Potable a Domicilio v. Mexico.
- Film examines the problem of polluted water and the need to develop pure water for domestic use in rural Mexico. 198-?. 25 min. Video/C 3692
- Escaping from History. (Human Race; 4)
- Mexico City, the most polluted and fastest growing city on the planet, is a sobering foretaste of what may await us all. Looking at the effects of industrialization on Mexico, and the impact of its development on the rest of the world, this program finds reasons for optimism. But it's a tough equation: for the Third World to have more, the First World will have to get used to having less. c1994. 53 min. Video/C 7204
- Fake Fruit.
- Directed by Chick Strand. Follows a day in the life of Mexican women who work creating artificial fruit for sale in American markets. Spanish with English subtitles. 1984. 22 min. Video/C 999:634
- The Five Suns: A Sacred History of Mexico.
- An animated depiction of the religion of the Aztecs told with illustrations painted in the style of native Mexican people of the sixteenth century. A film by Patricia Amlin. 1996. 55 min. Video/C 6184
- FNAC Presenta lo Mejor de Caiga Quien Caiga.
- A satirical treatment on contemporary politics in Mexico. Originally produced for the television program Caiga Quien Caiga. 60 min. In Spanish without titles. PAL format. 1998?. Video/C 5423
- Food for the Ancestors
- Presents Mexican customs relating to the care and remembrance of the dead, a weeklong holiday called Days of the Dead as celebrated in the culturally rich state of Puebla. Focuses on folk arts related to the celebration, such as weaving, pottery, dance, and preparation of special foods. Features include mask dancing by children, the spectacular Dance of the Voladores performed on a 60 foot pole; the fantastic Cholula Pyramid, and artisians creating skeleton and skull artwork in pottery, fabrics and food. Dist.: PBS. c2006. 60 min. DVD 5633
- Forgotten People
- Reveals human rights abuses that go unchecked in psychiatric hospitals, orphanages and mental retardation facilities around the world with primary focus on Mexico, Armenia and the Soviet Union. A production of the which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. Dist.:Witness Project2000. 10 min. DVD 3267
- The Forgotten Roots (La Raiz olvidada)
- Details the history of Mexico's often-overlooked African populations. Drawing on interviews and archival imagery, the film takes us from the slavery of the colonial era to today's Afro-Mexican communities in Guerrero, Oaxaco, Campeche, Morelos and Veracruz. It argues that Mexico's famous mestizaje includes the important contibutions of African groups, as well as Spaniards and Indians. Director, Rafael Rebollar. 1998. 49 min. Video/C MM399
- Free Trade Slaves
- Film discusses free trade zones and the accompanying human problems that have arisen with human rights, exploitation of workers and environmental degradation. Filmed on location in Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Mexico and Morocco. In English and various languages with English voiceovers. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1999. 58 min. Video/C 5927
- Frida Kahlo.
- Presents the life and work of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. 62 min. Video/C 1297
- El Futuro Viene Duro (The Children Are Taking the Future). 1996.
- Interviews with children who are demonstrating with their parents against the government in Mexico City, concerning the effect that political unrest and violence in Mexico has had upon their lives. Produced by students enrolled in Ethnographic Film (Anthropology 138B) in Spring of 1966, at the University of California, Berkeley, Dept. of Anthropology. 26 min. Video/C 4408
- The Geographic Dynamic of the Pacific Rim (Power of Place: World Regional Geography; 13-14)
- Prog. 13. Global interaction: Singapore, gateway city. Australia, new links to Asia.--Prog. 14. Migration and conquest: Mexico, motive to migrate. Guatemala, continuing conquest.
A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Singapore, Gateway City looks at how Singapore exploits its location to play a key commercial role in Pacific Asia. Australia, New Links to Asia investigates Australia's European roots and recent Asian influences in economic development. Mexico, Motive to Migrate examines migration patterns both within and outside of Mexico. Guatemala, Continuing Conquest examines the "cycles of conquest" borne by Maya peoples in Guatemala. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4318
Available for online viewing (with Windows Media player)
- The Global Assembly Line.
- Documentary, filmed in electronic and garment factories, examines working forces in United States and free-trade zones of developing countries particularly the Philippines and Mexico. Director, Lorraine Gray. 1986. 58 min. Video/C 1580
- Global Assembly Line web site (New Day Films)
- Granito de arena
- For more than 20 years, global economic forces have been dismantling public education in Mexico, but always in the constant shadow of popular resistance. This film is the story of that resistance -- of a grassroots, non-violent movement of public schoolteachers who took Mexico by surprise and who have endured brutal repression in their struggle to defend public education. DVD 1: In English (narration) & Spanish (interviews), with optional subtitles in English, English & Spanish, German or French. DVD 2: In Spanish with no subtitles; in Portuguese (narration) & Spanish (interviews), with Portuguese subtitles. Subject Headings Public schools -- Mexico. Written, produced, and directed by Jill Freidberg. 2005. 61 min. DVD 7433
- Guadalupe, Mother of all Mexico
- A documentary on the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe and how she became an important part of the culture of Mexico. Each December, millions of Mexicans take whatever means available, some walk for days, to pay homage to her. Countless miracles have been attributed to her. Pilgrims bring flowers, and gifts, while some enter the shrines on bended knees. They ask Mary's intercession, and protection for those who have died and those not yet born. They also call on her in times of crises and calamities. c2000. 60 min. Video/C MM881
- Hechos Sobre Los Rieles: Una Historia de los Ferrocarrileros Mexicanos.
- History of the development of railroads in Mexico and interviews with Mexican railroad workers involved in the formation of unions. 1988. 40 min. Video/C 1374
- History of the Mayas
- The history of the Mayas and their culture is shown through the remains at Copan, Palenque, Tikal, Yaxchilan, Bonampak, and Chichen Itza. Archaeologists working at these Mayan ruins sites discuss their discoveries concerning the structure of Mayan society and interviews with modern Mayans reveal the many ancient practices and customs still in practice today. Dist.: Films Media Group. c1998. 45 min. Video/C 7390
- The Hunt for Pancho Villa.
- In 1916, legendary outlaw Pancho Villa led a column of Mexican guerrillas across the border into New Mexico,an action that brought Mexico and the United States to the brink of war. President Wilson sent General John Pershing and his calvary troops to hunt down Villa in Mexico, but they were never able to even catch sight of him. 1994. Director, Hector Galan. 56 min. Video/C 3884
CINE Film & Video Awards 1994 (Golden Eagle).
- The Huichols: History, Culture, Art
- The Huichols, who live in the western Sierra Madre of central Mexico, are best known for their peyote rituals, their shamanistic practices, and their colorful, intricate textiles. However, like many indigenous peoples, the Huichols have no written history. The continuation of their culture depends on the vitality of their oral traditions. Rosalio "Chilio" Rivera Sanches and Luis Gonzales Carrio, from the small village of Las Guayabas, are working to preserve the oral traditions and histories of their people. They share some of the history, culture, traditional tales, and art of the Huichols. Director, Ryan Noble. c1996. 27 min. Video/C MM796
- Imagining New Worlds. (Human Geography, People Places and Change)
- Examines contrasting ways of viewing the city of Cancun, Mexico and Mayan ruins as seen through the eyes of tourists, Mayan descendants, and business investors. 1996. 27 min. Video/C 4241
- In The Pit (En el hoyo)
- A powerful documentary about the personal struggles behind the construction of a massive elevated freeway over Mexico City. With lyricism and compassion, this reveals the medieval nightmare underneath an ambitious utopian dream. Mexico City's Periferico Beltway, more than ten miles of elevated reinforced concrete, supported by massive towers, has been planned to both soar above and link the city's densely gridlocked urban neighborhoods. But while the roadway is a spectacular miracle of modern architectural design, it comes with a human cost. Written and directed by Juan Carlos Rulfo. 2006. 84 min. DVD 8334
- In Whose Interest?
- Filmmaker David Kaplowitz leads an eyeopening journey, questioning the effects of U.S. foreign policy over the past 50 years. Revealing a pattern of intervention, the film focuses on U.S. intervention in Guatemala, Vietnam, East Timor, El Salvador and Palestine/Israel. Archival footage, photographs and media coverage are interwoven with personal eye-witness accounts and commentary from academics, religious leaders and politicians. 2002. 28 mins. Video/C 9833
- Incidents of Travel in Chichen Itza
- This ethnographic film depicts how New Agers, the Mexican state, tourists and 1920s archaeologists all contend to "clear" the site of the Maya city of Chichen Itza in order to produce their own idealized and unobstructed visions of "Maya" while the local Maya themselves struggle to occupy the site as vendors and artisans. 1997. 90 min. Video/C 9033
- Juchitan Queer Paradise
- Presents a portrait of Juchitan, a small Mexican city near the Guatemalan border where homosexuality is fully accepted. The film profiles three gay people: a teacher, a hairdresser and a shop owner. The society is also unique as the population of Zapotec Indians resist the homogeneous trends of globalization. While Indian languages are endangered everywhere else in the world, in Juchitan, the Zapotec language is spoken proudly at home, at municipal meetings, in poetry, song and theatre. A film by Patricio Henriquez. 2002. 64 min. video/C 9822
- The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance. (The Americas II, Mexico, Cuba, Bolivia, Argentina)
- Presents on film examples of music and dance from the Americas documented by accompanying text written by area specialists. 1988. 57 min. Video/C 3541
- The JVC/Smithsonian Folkways Video Anthology of Music and Dance of the Americas. Volume 6. Central and South America: Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela
- Mexico -- Nicaragua -- Peru: Amazonian culture; Andean culture; Coastal Black and urban culture -- Venezuela. Accompanying guide includes descriptions, lyrics, and bibliographical references. c1995. 55 min. Video/C 4502
- The Last Zapatista
- Visits the profound and enduring legacy of Emiliano Zapata in contemporary Mexico through the reminiscences of Emeterio Pantaleon, who road with Zapata during the Mexican Revolution of 1910 to 1920. Recent legislation to privatize traditional community lands is destroying the communal farming system that Zapata promoted and fought for, and all over Mexico campesinos are being forced to sell their lands. This film portrays their ongoing struggle for the land while also relating the now-legendary story of the folk hero Zapata. Writer, producer and director, Susan Lloyd. 1995. 30 min. Video/C 9442
- Leaving Home. (We Do the Work)
- Examines the Mexico-U.S. Free Trade Agreement by looking at how workers on both sides of the border have been affected by the maquiladora program. Economists, free trade advocates, and Latino community leaders debate our free trade future. 199-?. 60 min. Video/C 2626
- The Living Maya
- A four part documentary chronicling the everyday life of a present-day Mayan family as it tries to cope with modern society. 1977.
The Living Maya: Part 1. In this first segment the North American anthropologist explains his personal and professional motives for working with Maya Indians in Yucatan, Mexico. Shows the expedition embarking, arriving in the Yucatan, and beginning work in a village. 59 min. Video/C 8486The Living Maya: Part 2. In this second segment the North American anthropologists doing field work in Yucatan, Mexico, consider the family members individually and as a unit in the village as they seek to understand the Mayan view of the world and examine how this view has shaped their society. 59 min. Video/C 8487The Living Maya: Part 3. In this third segment the anthropology team witnesses ancient ceremonies consecrating new corn fields. Contrasts the conflicts between ancient traditions and the attraction of modern urban life when two young boys from the village plead with their parents to let them go to the city. 59 min. Video/C 8488The Living Maya: Part 4.This final segment witnesses the return to the village in Yucatan, Mexico of two young boys who found city life lonely. The parents, who initially opposed their going to the city and who were already in debt, are confused and angry. Traditional values have been turned up-side-down by this series of events. 59 min. Video/C 8489
- Made on Rails: A History of the Mexican Railroad Workers.
- Issued under Spanish title, "Hechos sobre los rieles: una historia de los ferrocarrileros mexicanos". Spanish dialogue with English subtitles. A history of the development of railroads in Mexico and interviews with Mexican railroad workers involved in the formation of unions. Produced and directed by John Mraz. 1988. 40 min. Video/C 1374
- Vanderwood, P.J. "Made on Rails: A History of the Mexican Railroad Workers." (review) Film & History v.19 no.2 (May, 1989) p.46. I
- Marcos: Historia y Palabra (Marcos, Word and History)
- An interview in which subcommander Marcos talks about his arrival in the forests of Chiapas, the union between the insurrectional army (EZLN) and the indigenous communities, the different stages of the rebellion and its principal actors, as well as the fall of the communist countries and the future and hopes for the children of Mexico. In Spanish with English subtitles. 90 min. 1996. Video/C 8705
- Maquila: A Tale of Two Mexicos (Emerging Powers)
- This documentary presents the pros and cons of the maquiladora (or maquila) an export manufacturing program established by the Mexican Government and looks at industrialization in Mexico after NAFTA, considering low wages, working conditions, environmental and cultural impact. A film by Saul Landau and Sonia Angulo. Dist. Cinema Guild. 2000. 55 min. Video/C 7459
- Maquilapolis (City of Factories)
- Explores the environmental devastation and urban chaos of Tijuana's assembly factories and the female laborers who have organized themselves for social action. Carmen earns six dollars a day but she is not a victim. She is a dynamic young woman, busy making a life for herself and her children. In "Maquilapolis," Carmen and her friend Lourdes confront labor violations, environmental devastation and urban chaos, reaching beyond their daily struggle for survival to organize for change, taking on both the Mexican and U.S. governments and a major television manufacturer. The women also use video cameras to document their lives, their city and their hopes for the future. Produced and directed by Vicky Funari, Sergio De La Torre. 2006. 68 min. DVD 6606
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UC Berkeley users only - Requires Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac - A Massacre Foretold
- Chronicles the historic events surrounding the 1997 massacre of 45 pacifist supporters of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation who were murdered while seeking refuge in a church. Also looks at the 1994 emergence of the Zapatistas, the Mexican army's attacks on rural peasant communities -- involving destruction of homes, forced displacement of entire communities, and "disappearances" and murders meant to terrorize the indigenous population -- and government "negotiations" with the Zapatistas. Directed & produced by Nick Higgins. 2007. 58 min. DVD 9295
- Megacities
- A film in twelve chapters which tells the tales of people from Bombay, Mexico City, Moscow and New York, who are all struggling for daily survival, with ingenuity, intelligence and dignity. Focuses on the lives of Shankar, the Bioscope Man; Modesto, the chicken feet vendor; Baba Khan, the paint recycler; Nestor, the trash scavenger; street kids Oleg, Borya, Kolya and Misha; Cassandra, the performer; Larissa, the crane driver and Toni, the hustler. 1998. 90 min. Video/C 8920
- Memorias de un Mexicano.
- An extraordinary documentary of authentic footage covering key events and figures of the Mexican Revolution from 1904 to 1924 as described by the pioneer film maker, Salvador Toscano. Contains exclusive, authentic footage of transportation modes and warfare and other aspects of the Mexican Revolution. It also depicts the women's role in Mexico during this period. Film represents one of the first uses of film for journalistic purposes in Mexico. Original film compiled by Carmen Toscano in 1950 from footage taken by her father. 28-page guide written by Alex M. Saragoza. 45 min. 197-?. Video/C 2726
- Mexico. (Emerging Powers; 3)
- Examines the rise of Mexico's economy, and the series of crises which led to economic collapse. Includes interviews with members of Mexico's finance community and its micro-business association CAME. Profiles include Rafael Fernandez-McGregor, who hopes to restore a vital rail link between Mexico and the U.S. and executives from Pemex, one of the world's most powerful oil companies. 50 min. c1996. Video/C 4306
- Mexico: Dead or Alive.
- An examination of politics and human rights violations in modern Mexico through the experiences of Dr. Mario Rojas Alba, a physician and former member of the Mexican Congress for the opposition Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD). Dr. Alba, now a political refugee in Canada, makes a return trip to Mexico where he acts as guide and witness to the conflict between the government and the people's demands for justice and reform, as he struggles with his own position as an exile from the country he loves. A film by Mary Ellen Davis. 1996. 56 min. Video/C 4718
- Mexico City: The Impossible City.
- Defines Mexico City's globalization in terms of winners and losers, examining how, in the world's largest metropolis, immigration challenges are linked to poverty and population influx from surrounding rural areas. Contrasting the high-tech facilities and fashionable neighborhoods with its sprawling slums and struggling inhabitants, the program outlines the relationship between foreign investment and the worldwide need for cheap labor, which Mexico and its indigenous peoples readily supply. Glimpses into a tech-savvy youth culture and the persistent Zapatista movement reinforce the capital's nickname: City of Contrasts. Dist.: Films Media Group. 2005. 26 min. DVD 4305
- Mexico For Sale.
- A documentary dealing with the mexican perspective on free trade. Documents the opposition to the actual trade pact from significant voices within the PRI, Academia, Labor, and the PRD. 1992. 45 min. Video/C 2822
- Mexico: High Price of Profit
- The first segment examines the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and U.S. industry's search for cheap labor and manufacturing costs on health, the environment, labor and civil liberties in Mexico. Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs broadcast August 25, 1993. 27 min. Video/C 1778
- Mexico Series.
- Records the history and political events in Mexico from the Mexican revolution to the 1988 presidential elections through interviews and the use of extensive archival materials. 1. Revolution, 1910-1940.--2. From Boom to Bust, 1940-1982.--3. End of An Era, 1982-1988. c1988. 96 min. DVD 2367; also VHS Video/C 1331:1-3
- Mitos, Ritos y Costumbres Aztecas
- A striking documentary about Aztec social customs and religion, art, history, traditions and rituals -- including human sacrifice. In Spanish. 1989. 56 min. Video/C 8670
- Monuments of Ancient Mexico.
- Shows the first Meso-American civilization of the Olmecs, through the rise and decline of other civilizations such as the Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs. c1990. 25 min. Video/C 2614
- Mojados, Through the Night (Wetbacks, Through the Night)
- Filmed over the course of ten days, this follows four men into the world of illegal border-crossing from Mexico to the United States. Guapo, Oso, Tigre, Viejo take the 120 mile cross-desert journey that has been traveled innumerable times by nameless immigrants who - like these four from Michoacan, Mexico - all had a simple dream for a better life. Fighting dehydration and exhaustion while evading the U.S. Border Patrol through sub-zero temperature darkness of night, filled with barbed wire, brutal storms and the ever-present confrontation with death, they endure unimaginable hardship that is the reality for tens of thousands of illegals who have made this similar journey. Written, produced and directed by Tommy Davis. 2004. 70 min. DVD 9209
- La Muerte de Pancho Villa.
- Portrays the life and events leading to the ambush and assassination of Francisco "Pancho" Villa, one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution and general of the Northern Division of the Army, on June 20, 1923. 19-?. 92 min. Video/C 1378
- Mujeria: Primitive and Proud
- An historical survey of Olmec women, including still photographs of Olmec antiquities, and the significant role of lesbianism among Olmec women then and now. Director & animator, Osa Hidalgo-de la Riva. 1992. 20 min. Video/C 7750
- NAFTA: A 3-way Tie for Last.
- Examines the "unheard voices" of the debate centering around the North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, U.S. and Mexico. Presents the concerns of Canadian, American and Mexican workers, native Americans, farmers and environmentalists who perceive NAFTA to be a "dangerous" trade policy. Dist.: Paper Tiger TV. 1993. 28 min. Video/C 3642
- New Audiences for Mexican Music
- The first part of the program describes Banda, a popular dance music that originated in Mexico over a century ago and is now sweeping Los Angeles. Banda features wind instruments and drums with modern electronic rhythms. The second part of the program which explains the history of mariachi music, shows performances by the group Campanas de America which mixes mariachi with country music. The third part of the program profiles Tejano music, popularized by the late singer Selena. Contents: La Musica Banda! -- Campanas de America -- Tejano 101. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1994. 30 min. Video/C 6139
- The New Tijuana
- A history of Tijuana, Mexico showing the development of the city from a very small village to a modern metropolis of more than 2,000,000 inhabitants. The documentary emphasizes the relatively recent social, economic and political changes in the city. c1990. 58 min. Video/C 8911
- New World Border
- Documents the rise in human rights abuses along the U.S./Mexico border since the implementation of border blockades (Operation Gatekeeper), which have been erected in populated areas throughout the border region during the last decade. Includes interviews with immigrant rights organizers, testimony from immigrants, analysis of "free trade" policies and current efforts to build a vibrant movement for immigrant rights. Produced and edited by Casey Peek. 2001. 28 min. Video/C 7931
- Ninos de Esperanza = Children of Hope.
- Film follows the development of a project by the San Diego branch of the Americas Foundation which assisted low income families in Tijuana to build a state-of-the-art elementary school with the assistance of local volunteers from the community. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1994. 30 min. Video/C 4191
- North/South
- Contents: [Pt. 1] Mexico: high price of profit -- [Pt. 2. Interview with Svetlana Slapsak and Zoran Mutic] -- [Pt. 3] Texas/USA: burder injustice. The first segment examines the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and U.S. industry's search for cheap labor and manufacturing costs on health, the environment, labor and civil liberties in Mexico. The second segment is an interview with two writers; Bosnian author, Zoran Mutic, and Serbian author Svetlana Slapsak, on their views of the ethnic turmoil in Sarajevo. the Third segment examines abuses by border agents against illegal aliens captured crossing the Mexican-American border into Texas. Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs August 25, 1993. Video/C 6701
- Now is the Hardest Time: Poverty and Public Policy in the Tehuantepec Isthmus, Mexico.
- Explores the impact of government social policy on the lives of indigenous community members in the Tehuantepec Isthmus region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Looks at the changing dynamics of the communities, including men migrating in search of work, the loss of traditional knowledge, the impact of government policies that encourage dependency on cities, the increased use of pesticides and chemicals on crops and health policies in relation to women's reproductive rights. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. Dist.:Witness Project. 2000. 10 min. DVD 3257
- Oaxacan Hoops
- Shot in the mountains of the Sierra Norte in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico and the inner-city neighborhoods in Los Angeles, this documentary explores the long-standing cultural tradition of basketball among the Oaxacan community. It looks at how the sport has helped many Zapotec Indians living in Los Angeles build community, keep traditions alive and maintain a connection to their villages in Mexico. During the biggest basketball tournament outside of Mexico, the Oaxaca Cup, more than 40 teams compete, most representing a village back home. Produced at the Graduate School of Journalism, UC Berkeley, producer, director, editor, Olga R. Rodriguez. 2003. 20 min. DVD 7648 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 9727
- La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead.
- In Mexico, on the first days of November, the dead come to visit. They are received and given offerings of their favorite food, flowers, and momentos of their presence on earth. La Ofrenda takes a non-traditional look at the celebration in Mexico and the United States. A film by Lourdes Portillo and Susana Munoz. c1989. 50 min. Video/C 1778
American Film & Video Festival 1990 (Blue Ribbon)
- Masuoka, Susan N. "La Ofrenda." (movie reviews)
Western Folklore v53, n1 (Jan, 1994):92 (4 pages).
Nutini, Hugo G.
"La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead." (video recording reviews)
American Anthropologist v93, n3 (Sept, 1991):772 (2 pages).
- On Wings of Faith (En Alas de la Fe).
- A visit to two festivals held in the North Sierra of Puebla, Mexico; one to honor Saint Michael the Archangel in the town of San Miguel Tzinacapan; the other for Saint Francis of Assisi in Cuetzalan. Mexican and mesoamerican dancers celebrate their oral traditions, magical medicine, petition for favors and give thanks to their patron saints through the medium of dance. 1994. 28 min. Video/C 4420
- One River, One Country: The U.S.-Mexico Border
- Along the Rio Grande, a third country is emerging, neither Mexico nor the United States, but an uncomfortable combination of the two. Its inhabitants share family and economic ties, but feel isolated from the mainstream cultures of their two native lands. Program suggests how an aggressive "good-neighbor policy" of American trade with Mexico might alleviate some of the region's economic troubles. Originally presented as a segment in the television series: CBS reports. Produced and directed by Elena Mannes; written by Bill Moyers, Elena Mannes. 1986. 47 min. Video/C MM882
- The Other Side (El otro lado)
- Examines the devastating impact of Mexican-United States migration. The people who attempt to cross suffer horribly and frequently die. The families and communities left behind are disabled, and their languages and cultures are being destroyed. This program looks at villagers who strive to ensure that their children will no longer have to migrate to have a better life. Directed by Christopher Walker. 2001. 30 min. Video/C 8942
- Pancho Villa and Other Stories
- An account of the Mexican revolution (1910-1920) and one of its most important yet enigmatic protagonists, Francisco "Pancho" Villa. This documentary is a seamless weaving of rare vintage photographs, with oral histories conducted between 1986-1994, from witnesses as well as participants, in addition to authentic motion picture footage shot by American and Mexican film crews on location. Produced and directed by Phillip Rodriguez. 1999. 40 min. Video/C 7589
- Las Papas del Papa (The Pope's Potatoes)
- In 1999 when Pope John Paul II visited Mexico, it was not only the visit of Mexico's most revered living religious figure, but also an opportunity for product placements and corporate tie-ins. In one case, promotional stickers of the Pope appeared in bags of potato chips. This short narrative follows the confusions of a young boy who searches for a shortcut to heaven, in the media saturated world of the Pope's 1999 visit to Mexico. Dirigido y escrito por Alex Rivera con Efrain Santa Cruz. Dist. Subcine. 2000. 8 min. Video/C 9212
- Los Pastores (The Shepherd's Play)
- A staged presentation of a Christmas morality play that has long been part of Hispanic folk traditions in the American Southwest. Originally written by Padre Florencio Ibanez of the Soledad Mission in 1803, it may be the first play written and performed in California. Performed in the Regents' Theater, the Valley Center for the Performing Arts, Holy Names College, December 4, 2002. 39 min. Video/C 9728
- Performing the Border
- Set in the Mexican border town Ciudad Juarez where U.S. industries assemble their electronic and digital equipment, this film examines the socioeconomic problems of the Mexican-American border region, focusing on hardships faced by women in newly urbanized areas. A film by Ursula Biemann. 1999. 43 min. DVD 5503; vhs Video/C 1079
- A Place Called Chiapas: A Film
- In 1994 the Zapatista National Liberation Army, made up of impoverished Maya Indians, took over five towns and 500 ranches in southern Mexico. Fighting for indigenous Mexicans to regain control over their lives and the land, the Zapatista Army, led by Subcommandante Marcos, started sending their message to the world via the Internet. The result was what the New York Times called "the world's first post-modern revolution." Here the filmmaker, who traveled to the jungle canyons of Southern Mexico to cover the uprising, effectively captures the human dimensions behind the war. A film by Nettie Wild. c1998. 93 min. DVD 5111; vhs Video/C 6127
- ?Que Viva Mexico! (Da zdravstvuyet Meksika!)
- Director Sergei Eisenstein's long-lost silent film shot by the great Eduard Tisse in 1931. Divided into segments; a wedding, a bullfight, a fiesta, a dramatized abortive uprising at the turn of the century. Russian with English subtitles. 1979. 85 min. Video/C 999:876Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- The Ragged Revolution: The Romance and the Reality of the Mexican Revolution, 1910 to 1920.
- Discusses the realities behind the romantic myths of the Mexican Revolution and shows how the social and economic conditions in Mexico at the turn of the century paved the way for the Revolution. Also discusses the U.S. role throughout this period and shows the influence of the Revolution on the work of the great Mexican muralists. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1987? 38 min. Video/C 3451
- A Railroad to Utopia
- Directed by Gregorio Rocha. Explores, using time-lapse and animation techniques as well as archival drawings and photographs, a utopian colony established in Topolobampo in Northern Mexico by American Socialist pioneers, Albert Kimsey Owen and others, in 1886. The writings of Clarissa Kneeland are incorporated in the film. Dist. Subcine. 1995. 30 min. Video/C 9218
- Reed: Insurgent Mexico.
- A dramatization of John Reed's accounts of the Mexican Revolution depicting the young journalist's adventures with Pancho Villa's army between 1913 and 1914. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1971. c1994. 104 min. Video/C 999:1195
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- West, Dennis. "Reed: Insurgent Mexico." (video recording reviews)Cineaste v22, n1 (Wntr, 1996):53 (2 pages).
Wilson, Christopher P. "Plotting the Border: John Reed, Pancho Villa, and Insurgent Mexico." In: Cultures of United States Imperialism / Amy Kaplan and Donald E. Pease, editors. pp: 340-61. Durham: Duke University Press, 1993.
(Main Stack E179.5.C96 1993; Moffitt E179.5.C96 1993)
- Return of the Maya.
- Recounts the excavation of the ancient Mayan City, Edzna, by Mayan refugees from Guatamala currently living in Mexico. Includes an examination of the current social and economic conditions of these immigrants who are ancestors of the Mayas who originally built this ancient city. 1992. 29 min. Video/C 2566
- Rojo Amanecer.
- A docudrama based on the terrible events of Oct. 2, 1968 when 300 students were massacred in the plaza of Tlatelolco during a time when being a student was worse than being a criminal. Dialogue in Spanish. c1990. 95 min. Video/C 3446
- Rufino Tamayo: The Sources of His Art.
- Commentary and poetry by Octavio Paz. Narrated by John Huston. Pictures the artist Rufino Tamayo at work, both painting and preparing a lithograph. Shows the development of Tamayo's style, using representative paintings from the early 1930's to the present day, and points out the pre-Columbian and contemporary Mexican sources and inspiration which have greatly influenced his painting. 198-?. 27 min. Video/C 1368
- Sacred Games: Ritual Warfare in a Maya Village.
- Presents how the Maya people see the world and how their symbolic world is renewed in the annual carnival celebrations. 1988. 59 min. Video/C 2426
- The Sacred Land (Chul stes bil lum qui, nal).
- Until the Zapastista uprising in 1994, most indigenous people in Chiapas existed by working on large "rancheros" for rich landowners. This film describes what life was like on these plantations through the stories of community members that go back four generations telling about slavery-like conditions. c2000. 19 min. Video/C MM855
- Seeds of Progress.
- Describes PIDER, a Mexican government program designed to alleviate rural poverty by promoting small-scale agriculture and local industry and involving campesinos in project decisions. c1983. 28 min. Video/C 3688
- Senorita Extraviada: Missing Young Women
- Documents a two year investigation of the layers of complicity that have allowed the unsolved mystery of the kidnapping, rape and murder of over 230 young women in the city of Juarez, Mexico. The perpetuators of these crimes have not been apprehended, even though these crimes have been occurring regularly since 1993. A film by Lourdes Portillo. 2001. 76 min. Video/C 9045
- Shunka's Story
- A Tzotzil Maya woman of Zinacantan, Chiapas, conveys her thoughts and feelings about her life. The narration consists of the voice-over comments (in English) of the woman herself (Shunka), thus keeping to a minimum the intrusion of the filmaker's cultural biases. 1983. 20 min. Video/C MM814
- The Sixth Sun: Mayan Uprising in Chiapas.
- An examination of the confrontation between Mayan Indians and large landowners and government forces in a 1994 uprising in Chiapas, Mexico. Raises questions about the destruction of entire peoples and cultures in the rush toward economic progress. Features interviews with Subcomandante Marcos and other leaders of the Zapatista movement. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1996. 57 min. Video/C 5415
- A Skirt Full of Butterflies.
- A film by Ellen Osborne, Maureen Gosling. In this film we hear from five women whose stories are interlaced with scenes of work and the resplendent festivities, music, poetry and paintings of the region. They show how valuable economic independence, community, friendship, cultural pride and respect for 'women's work' are in giving a woman self-esteem and a sense of purpose in life. c1993. 15 min. Video/C 4275
- Song of the Earth: Traditional Music from the Highlands of Chiapas (Son de la tierra)
- Tzotil elders explain the significance of traditional music and the role of musicians in their communities and talk about the influence of western music and dress on youth and express their hopes that indigenous youth will maintain their traditions and culture. 2002. 17 min. Video/C MM851
- Stepan Chemical: The Poisoning of a Mexican Community.
- When the Chicago-based Stepan Chemical plant in Matamoros, Mexico dumped xylene, a toxic solvent linked to birth defects, into open canals near the homes of the people of Matamoros, the people of Matamoros, through their community leaders and with help from the U.S.-based Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras, fought to end this contamination and demanded a full accounting from Stepan Chemical and environmental agencies in the U.S. and Mexico, as part of their struggle for a clean environment. c1992. 18 min. Video/C 2615
- Sweat of the Sun.
- Visits various sites of ancient Inca and Aztec splendor and examines gold artifacts that escaped the pillaging of the Spanish conquerors. Discusses the significance of these objects and describes how they were used by Aztec and Inca priests in practical and ritual fashion. 1976. 52 min. Video/C 178
- This Is What Free Trade Looks Like: the NAFTA Fraud in Mexico, The Failure of the WTO, and the Case for Global Revolt (Asi vive el libro comercio : el fraude del TLC en Mexico, el fracaso de la OMC, y el porque de la rebelion global)
- Designed as a companion film to This is what democracy looks like, this is one of the first activist films to carefully explain how free trade operates. It does so from the perspective of the Mexican experience with ten years of NAFTA. Activists and scholars authoritatively condemn free trade as a solution to poverty and discuss the impacts on farmers, workers, youth, and immigrants. Shot in Cancun, Mexico on the occasion of the 5th WTO ministerial in September 2003, it contextualizes the growing international resistance to free trade policies. Written and directed by Amory Starr. Filmed in Cancun, Mexico on the occasion of the 5th WTO ministerial in September 2003. 60 min. DVD 6894
- To Make the Balance.
- A film by Laura Nader. Describes the unique community government system of Oaxaca, Mexico--an unwritten village legal system with few formalities. The system resolves conflict by minimizing the sense of injustice felt by the parties to a case. The law is a style of compromise, equality, de-escalation at all costs. Candid photography shows the presidente--a court official elected from the community at large and serving without pay for one year--handling and resolving five disputes. Originally issued as a motion picture in 1966. 1983. 33 min. Video/C 4512
- To the Roots: a Maya Reunion
- This documentary, a model of non-intrusive and naturally eloquent ethnographic filmmaking, depicts the journey of two Itza Maya elders from their village in Peten in northern Guatemala to meet, for the first time, their Lacandon Maya relatives deep in the rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico. Dist.: Video Project. 1998. 28 min. Video/C 7604
- U.S. Mexican War, 1846-1848.
- This two-part documentary tells the story of the U.S. Mexican War in which Mexico lost almost half of its national territory to the United States.
In the first segment Mexico is suffering the aftermath of its 1820s war for independence from Spain while to the north the U.S. is expanding its territory. Tensions mount when Texas breaks free from Mexico in 1836 and is later annexed by the U.S. In 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clash over a border dispute in Texas and war explodes. President Polk orders the U.S. Army and Navy to conquer the Mexican territories of New Mexico and California. When Mexico refuses to surrender, Polk turns his attention to Mexico City.
In the second segment former Mexican President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna returns from exile to unite Mexico against the U.S. invasion. President Polk decides to open a second front against Mexico and strike deep into Mexico's heartland. Santa Anna is unable to turn back the invaders and a dramatic battle for Mexico City ends when the capital finally surrenders on September 14, 1847. A few months later, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, ceding all of the states of the present American Southwest to the United States. Dist.: PBS. 1998. 120 min. each part. Video/C 5675 (part I); Video/C 5676 (part II)
- Viaje al Centro de la Selva: Memorial Zapatista, Enero-Agosto 1994.
- Documentary film of the formation and activities of the EZLN, a band of Mexican guerrilla insurrectionists called Zapatistas, who occupied the Chiapas region of Southeast Mexico in January, 1994. This film chronicles the first moments of the peasant uprising through the Convencion Nacional Democratica sponsored by the EZLN in August 6-9, 1994 and held in a freshly made clearing hewn out of the jungle and attended by over 6,000 delegates from all over Mexico. In Spanish. 1994. 91 min. Video/C 3862
- Viento Negro.
- Depicts the history of the arduous work, difficulties, and conflicts that beset a group of men in building a railroad across the Mexican desert of Altar in the state of Sonora, Mexico. 1988. 120 min. Video/C 999:1866
- Voices of Latin America.
- Presents an introduction to five Latin American writers including Garcilaso de la Vega, So Juana de la Cruz, Jose Marti, Jorge Luis Borges, and Elena Poniatowska. Filmed on location in Mexico and Peru with host David McCullough. 1991. 58 min. Video/C 2139
- Wars and Images
- Contents: Gringo (29 min.) -- Greaser (30 min.) -- Amigo (28 min.) -- Illegal (29 min.).
Four documentaries exploring different aspects of the history of visual representations that the United States and Mexico have created about each other, focusing on wars in which both countries have been involved. Gringo: Shows the U.S.-Mexico war of 1846-48 as portrayed in drawings, lithographs, daguerreotypes and personal chronicles. Greaser: Presents the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920 as portrayed in newsreels and postcards. Amigo: Looks at the influence of U.S. interests in Mexican nationalistic and propaganda films during the "Good neighbor policy" and World War II. Illegal: Critical examination of the role played by independent video and mainstream media in the creation of a war zone on the Mexico-U.S. border. Produced and directed by Gregorio Carlos Rocha. Dist.: Subcine. 1999. Video/C 9216
- Zapatista.
- In 1996, three international filmmakers traveled to the deep Lacandon jungles of Mexico to seek out and interview the leaders of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) and to examine the peasant uprisings which began in Chiapas, Mexico in 1994. It recounts through a cast of rebel leaders, celebrity narrators and political activists, how a few thousand Mayan peasants have transformed the political culture of Mexico forever. Dist.: Big Noise Films. 1998. 54 min. DVD 3576; also VHS Video/C 6468
- We Are Equal: Zapatista Women Speak.
- Zapatista women speak about what their lives were like before the uprising in 1994 and how their lives have changed since. A very upfront and critical look at gender relations within the Zapatista communities--how far women have come and how far they still need to go. c2005. 19 min. Video/C MM852
- We Speak Against Injustice.
- Follows the Zapatista caravan in March of 2002 that visited 11 cities on the way to Mexico City where indigenous groups presented the San Andres Accords to the Mexican Congress. The second half of the film documents the upsurge in paramilitary violence in Chiapas that began in August 2002, and the pressure that the state is putting on the Zapatista communities to leave their land so their resources can be exploited. 2002. 34 min. Video/C MM854
- Weavers in Ahuiran: Michoacan, Mexico.
- Documents the weaving techniques, social organization, and economic situation for women weavers in a weaving village in Michoacan, Mexico. Examines the changes in weaving style and materials, how they are taught by mothers to daughters and explores the changes caused by the long absences of the women's husbands, who leave for migrant farm work in the U.S. c1991. 53 min. Video/C MM685
- Women United (Mujeres unidas).
- A look at indigenous women's collective work in the autonomous municipality of Chiapas, Mexico. Collectives have become a keystone for many Chiapaneco women involved in the movement for social and economic justice. It features a collective bakery, store and vegetable garden and interviews about how collectives have changed community life. Filmed by women from Morelia, Chiapas, Mexico, it is followed by brief comments by the editor about their plans to show the video in neighboring states. 2000. 16 min. Video/C MM856
- WTO, A Threat to Humanity.
- Presents an in-depth look at the history and current policies of the World Trade Organization. Among the issues discussed are NAFTA's impact on corn production in Mexico, the effects of genetically modified seeds on world agricultural systems, agricultural subsidies in developed countries and their negative impact on food production in developing countries, intellectual property and patents on indigenous plants and knowledge, privatization of natural resources and competition for cheap labor. 2003. 54 min. Video/C MM853
- Xochimilco: Floating Gardens.
- The people of the Valley of Mexico have long used artificial islands in their lake to meet agricultural needs and to escape urban congestion. Presents a visit to the canals and gardens of Xochimilco near Mexico City, one of the original breadbaskets of the Americas and once the agricultural hub of Tenochtitlan, a metropolis of 235,000 inhabitants. In the Aztec's Nahuatl language the name Xochimilco means "garden of flowers." 2004. 17 min. DVD 6678
- To the top
Central America
- 1932, Cicatriz de la Memoria (Scars of Memory)
- In 1932 the army and "citizen militias" in El Salvador brutally crushed an uprising of peasants in western El Salvador, killing 10,000 people. Survivors share their harrowing memories, many for the first time. The trauma resonated through six decades of military rule, until the 1992 peace accords ended a brutal, 12-year civil war. This documentary is based on 200 interviews with survivors and on archival research in El Salvador, Great Britain and the United States. 53 min. Video/C MM141
- Alsino y el Condor (Alsino and the Condor)
- Set in Nicaragua, this film depicts the clash between Central American governments and Sandinista rebels. It is the story of a boy's dream of flying above the madness of the world around him. 1986. 89 min. Video 999:1862
- Americas in Transition.
- Focuses on American military intervention in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Chile, and El Salvador. Discusses the roots of dictatorship, its effects on citizens, movements toward majority rule, and communist influences. 1982. 29 min. Video/C 542
- Anselmo and the Women.
- Directed by Chick Strand. A Mexican husband and wife express their attitudes and expectations concerning their spouses. Primarily a reflection of Mexican male attitudes towards Mexican women. 1986. 35 min. Video/C 999:633
- Asi Fue (So it went)
- Documents the political issues and diverse views of the people of Nicaragua during the period surrounding the elections of 1984. Samples the campaigns of the seven contending political parties and isolates the recurring issues. 1986. 60 min. Video/C 9886
- Between Light and Shadow: Maya Women in Transition.
- Interviews with Mayan women artists who work to preserve Mayan culture, improve the lives of the Mayan people and promote a Maya presence in their community. Includes Mayan folk art in the form of woven textiles and embroidery and contemporary paintings. 1997. 26 min. Video/C 5086
- The Body Parts Business.
- Follows Covenant House worker, Bruce Harris, as he visits Argentina and Central America to investigate the murder of homeless children and patients in mental health facilities as sources of body parts for the black market. 1994. 62 min. Video/C 4375
- Bread and Dignity (Pan y Dignidad): Open Letter From Nicaragua. (As Women See It)
- Combining historic newsreel footage with contemporary interviews, the film reviews Somoza's rule in Nicaragua and the events leading to the 1979 Sandinista revolution. A film by Mar?a Jos? Alvarez. 1989. 30 min. Video/C 4172
- La Casta Divina.
- Depicts the impoverishment of the Yucatan region and its native inhabitants due to the exploitation and domination of the wealthy over a period of three centuries. With the rise to power of Gen. Salvador Alvarado in 1915, this situation improves; rural schools are built; public libraries are founded; a worker's code is established; agrarian reform is introduced, and other social programs are set up. 1987. 90 min. Video/C 999:1868
- Central America: The Burden of Time.
- From the series, Legacy. Isolated from the rest of the world,the Aztecs, Maya and Inca created sophisticated civilizations that in many ways paralleled ancient Mediterranean empires. Dist.: Ambrose Video. 1991. 57 min. Video/C 3021
- Central Americans (Multicultural Peoples of North America).
- One of a 15 part series which celebrates the heritage of fifteen different cultural groups by tracing the history of their emigration to North America, showing the unique traditions they brought with them, and who they are today. Each volume discusses when and why each group emigrated, where they settled, which occupations they engaged in, and who the important leaders are within each community. c1993. 30 min. Video/C 3291
- Chac: The Rain God (1974)
- Directed by Rolando Klein. Based on ritual and legends from the Popul Vuh and Mayan stories, the film focuses on a small Tzeltal village during a terrible drought. Desperate for relief, thirteen men set out on a quest to save their people by seeking a solitary diviner who lives in the mountains and knows the ways of the ancients. Hoping that he can summon Chac, the Rain God the men follow the diviner who takes them on a strange journey that challenges their beliefs and even their sanity. 95 min. Video 999:2957
Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database
- The Cost of Cotton.
- Program focusing on Guatemala the second best producer of raw cotton in the world. Excessive use of pesticides and the possibility of introducing an integrated pest management technique are discussed. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1978. 28 min. Video/C 492
- Crisis in Central America.
- c1985. 60 min. ea.
Battle for El Salvador DVD 4007 (preservation copycopy); also VHS Video/C 777
Castro's Challenge DVD 4005 (preservation copy); also VHS Video/C 775
Revolution in Nicaragua DVD 4006 (preservation copy); also VHS Video/C 776
Yankee Years. DVD 4005 (preservation copy); also VHS Video/C 774
- Danger: Children at Work. (Life, Part 31)
- art of a series examining the issue of glabalization and its effect on ordinary people around the world. This segment looks at the production of fireworks by poor families and their children in Guatemala. Since the land is poor, many have turned from agriculture to producing fireworks at home. The practice has become the major source of income for 80% of local people, with no safety controls and frequent accidents. (For other installments of series, see
Global Issues and Events) 27 min. Video/C 9841
- The Darklight of Dawn.
- A documentary on military oppression and the human rights situation in Guatamala. c1986. 28 min. Video/C 1552
- Dateline, San Salvador.
- On May 1, 1986, 80,000 Salvadorians, in protest of their conditions, marched the streets of their capital demanding an end to the war. This video documents this historic march and explores the concerns of the people behind the banners. Spanish dialogue, English voiceover. c1986. 28 min. Video/C 1152
- Daughters of Ixchel: Maya thread of Change
- Guatemalan Maya women are highly skilled weavers. Their textiles, created using the backstrap loom, are known worldwide for their excellent workmanship and design. Their weaving skills have been passed down from mother to daughter since ancient times. Not only are the designs and colors of the Maya textiles attractive and unique, they also carry the history and traditions of their communities. This illuminating documentary explores the lives of Maya women today, portrays their ancient weaving processes, and examines the economic, political, and cultural forces that are profoundly affecting the women and their weaving. 1993. 29 min. Video/C MM542
- Deadly Embrace: Nicaragua, The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
- Discusses the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in the destruction of the Nicaraguan economy. Explains how structural adjustment, the international debt crisis, and free trade are hurting the people and economies of Third World countries. 1996. 30 min. Video/C 3340
- Destination--Honduras.
- A video journey through the country of Honduras and the experiences of Peace Corps members and the families with whom they work and live with particular emphasis on environmental issues. 1995. 20 min. Video/C 4733
- Devils Don't Dream!
- In 1944 Jacobo Arbenz led the successful revolt against the military dictatorship in Guatemala, thus ending the time of dictatorship which had held the country in its grip since colonial times. In 1950 Arbenz was elected President, a president who was not a member of any party, who didn't issue any manifestos. But he began to fulfill his election promises: farmers got their own land. Then in September 1954, Arbenz was betrayed by foreign powers and overthrown (by the CIA), was declared a traitor, and chased out of the country. In Spanish with English subtitles. 1995. 90 min. Video/C 6231
- Discovering Dominga.
- Denese Becker, born Dominga Sic Ruiz, is a survivor of the 1982 Rio Negro massacre in Guatemala. Nine years old at the time of the massacre, during which both of her parents were killed, Denese was adopted by an American family and raised in Iowa. As an adult she begins to confront her memories and nightmares, returning to Guatemala almost twenty years after the massacre and ultimately becoming an advocate for the victims and survivors at great personal cost. Produced and directed by Patricia Flynn c2002. 57 min. Video/C 9743
- El Salvador, Another Vietnam.
- Examines the conditions and events in El Salvador. Compares U.S. military aid, involvement and policy in El Salvador to that in Vietnam during the 60's. Produced/directed by Glenn Silber and Tete Vasconcellos. c1981. 60 min. DVD 7650 [preservation copy] vhs Video/C 316
- Elvia: The Fight for Land and Liberty.
- Chronicles the work of Elvia Alvarado, a Honduran woman peasant activist, in getting the peasants of Honduras to take over the land themselves and set up a land-reform program of their own. Directed and written by Laura Rodriguez, Rick Tejada-Flores. c1988. 27 min. Video/C 2195
- Following Antigone: Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights Investigations
- Since 1984, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) and other similar groups have helped families of human right victims to find, identify and bury the remnants of their loved ones and bring evidence to court. This documentary shows various aspects of the application of forensic sciences to human rights investigations. Using footage recorded by EAAF members in Argentina, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti and East Timor during the past eighteen years, the documentary covers the entire process of investigation, including historical, archaeological, and laboratory methods, testimonies of relatives of the victims, and reburial ceremonies of the remains of their loved ones many years after they died. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. Dist.:Witness Project. 2002. 40 min. DVD 3264
- Forging Peace in Guatemala
- Presents portraits of three Mayan women and their efforts on behalf of peace as a result of the 36-year civil war in Guatemala. Adela is a widow struggling to support her refugee family, Justina travels the countryside explaining the human rights movement, and Francesca, a Mayan priestess, reaffirms the cultural identity of her people. c1997. 53 min. Video/C 8667
- Free Trade Slaves
- Film discusses free trade zones and the accompanying human problems that have arisen with human rights, exploitation of workers and environmental degradation. Filmed on location in Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Mexico and Morocco. In English and various languages with English voiceovers. c1999. 58 min. Video/C 5927
- Garifunas Holding Ground.
- Looks at the struggle by the Afro-indigenous Garifuna in Honduras to protect their ancestral lands from environmental destruction as they fight to shut down an illegal highway that is destroying crops, old growth forest and water supplies. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. Dist.:Witness Project. 2002. 11 min. DVD 3255
- Guatemala: The Human Price of Coffee (What in the World? People of the Developing Nations)
- Owners of small coffee farms and members of the the coffee cooperative Manos Campesinas are interviewed in this documentary about coffee production in Guatemala. Thanks to the Fair Trade Market, a European organization that guarantees a price for the farmers and finds buyers, cooperative members are earning 40% more than independent small farmers who sell on the local market. Dist.: Films Media Group. 2004. 26 min. DVD 5451
- Guatemalan Report (South Series)
- Covers the October 1991 Congress of Indigenous American Peoples held in Guatemala. The meeting provided a forum for Native Americans to express their grievances and to protest the upcoming Columbus quinticentennial. c1991. 9 min. Video/C 3041
- Guatemala Silenciada.(Women of Latin America/Mujeres de America Latina)
- Probes the stratification of women in Guatemalan society. It examines the submissiveness of upper-class women; a new emerging middle class who are defying tradition and cultural expectations to fight for equal rights; and the indigenous population, who are segregated and discriminated against. It looks at sexual abuse and political terror and includes Guatemalan women refugees in Mexico who discuss the terror that drove them into exile. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1995. 72 min. Video/C 8652
- Guazapa: The Face of War in El Salvador.
- Presents an American journalist's view of life in a combat zone in El Salvador, showing the relationship between combatants and civilians in a revolution. 1988. 37 min. Video/C 1554
- Hidden Scars.
- Focuses on the story of Miguel, a Quiche Maya falsely accused of collaborating with Guatemalan guerillas, who was tortured and then dumped on a roadside near Guatemala City. He escaped through Mexico to the U.S., where he is seeking asylum. This film documents his shattering experience and explores its continuing effects on his life as he undergoes therapy with a psychologist who specializes in treating post-traumatic stress disorders. This documentary provides a broad overview of the scope of torture in Latin America and also outlines the shattering effects which torture can bring to a victim's life. Produced, written, and edited by Grace Barnes. 1994. 50 min. Video/C MM574
- Imagining New Worlds
- Examines contrasting ways of viewing the city of Cancun, Mexico and Mayan ruins as seen through the eyes of tourists, Mayan descendants, and business investors. 1996. 27 min. Video/C 4241
- In the Name of Democracy.
- Documentary examining the nature of democracy in El Salvador today made in 1983. 1983. 31 min. Video/C 744Available for online viewing (with Windows Media player)
- Innovating Nicaragua.
- Spanish dialogue with English subtitles. Describes, through interviews with the Nicaraguan people, how, since the Sandinista revolution in 1979, the Nicaraguan economy is being improved little by little by means of various economic and technological innovations, and what further improvements need to be made. 1986. 40 min. Video/C 1375
- Iran-Contra Hearings.
- Joint congressional hearings on the Iran-Contra Affair, July 9-23, 1987. Recorded off-air from KQEC program. See GLADIS long display for specific dates. 7 cassettes, time varies 1987. Video/C 1205
- Justice and the Generals
- On December 2, 1980, three nuns (Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and Dorothy Kazel) and one lay worker (Jean Donovan) were abducted, raped, and murdered by El Salvadoran National Guardsmen. This documentary covers the initial investigation, the trial of the Guardsmen, and later attempts to bring to justice the military leaders (Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova, director of the National Guard, and Jose Guillermo Garcia, head of the ministry of defense) who ordered the murders. 2002. 85 min. Video/C 9080
- The JVC/Smithsonian Folkways Video Anthology of Music and Dance of the Americas. Volume 5. Central and South America: Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Guyana.
- Contents: Belize -- Brazil -- Chile -- Colombia -- Guatemala -- Guyana. Accompanying guide includes descriptions, lyrics, and bibliographical references. c1995. 54 min. Video/C 4501
- The JVC/Smithsonian Folkways video anthology of music and dance of the Americas. Volume 6. Central and South America: Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela
- Mexico -- Nicaragua -- Peru: Amazonian culture; Andean culture; Coastal Black and urban culture -- Venezuela. c1995. 55 min. Video/C 4502
- Last Interview with Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador [Sound recording]
- Last interview with the outspoken critic of El Salvador's military government two days prior to his assassination. Romero condemns U.S. assistance to El Salvador, discusses security forces, the Christian Democratic Party, the worker-peasant coalition, and the church. Recorded by telephone. Pacifica Radio Archives, 1986. 19 min. Sound/D 232
- The Lost World of the Maya.
- From the series, Nova; follows Eric Thompson, an authority on Mayan civilization, as he embarks on a pilgrimage through Central America. Describes ruins existing in such ancient cities as Tikal, Palenque, Yaxchilan, and Quirigna, and re-creates the Maya's daily life. Concludes with a description of the theories that have been used to explain why Mayan civilization fell. 1972. 36 min. DVD 7158 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 250
- A Massacre Remembered.
- Tells the story of Jesus Tecu Osorio, one of the few survivors of the Rio Negro Massacre that took place in Guatemala on March 13, 1982. After witnessing the massacre of more than one hundred children and nearly eighty women by members of the Guatemalan army and civil patrols, Jesus and seventeen other children were taken to work as servants in the houses of the patrollers who killed their families. Jesus lived in captivity for three years until freed by his only surviving sister. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. Dist.:Witness Project. 2000. 4 min. DVD 3256
- Mayan Voices: American Lives.
- Mayan refugees from Guatemala, escaping political repression at home, have fled to the United States. In the last 10 years, 5,000-6,000 Mayas have settled in a small town of 3500 residents, Indiantown, Fla. Presents a picture of the adjustment problems to a new country and a different culture through interviews with the Indian refugees and other townspeople. c1994. 56 min. Video/C 3623
- Maria's Story.
- The story of Maria Serrano, a 39 year old mother who is a leader in the guerilla movement in El Salvador. Her passion for social justice dominates her life. Maria represents a growing number of Latin American women on the forefront of social change. Directed by Manona Wali and Pamela Cohen. 1990. 53 min. Video/C 2232
- Maya Lords of the Jungle.
- Visits ancient sites on the Yucatan Peninsula where new findings are forcing a reappraisal of the past of the Mayans. Researchers display and interpret their findings, setting aside the errors of the pst, and quietly working a revolution in pre-Columbia